Surprise to See You Here
by redroosterdawn
Summary: Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?
1. Chapter 1

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part one

The Patrick Henry

Naples, Italy

2001

The Patrick Henry was dock in Naples, Italy. It had been cruising the eastern Mediterranean for the last three months as part of its NATO obligations. It was time for shore duty and Naples was a favorite port for the navy personnel.

The people of Italy liked to welcome Americans as if they were one of their own. They still remembered with gratitude that it was the Americans that had freed them from the influence of Hitler and the Germans.

It was also the Americans who helped them rebuild after the great war. They also liked Americans because they liked to spend lots of money whenever they visited, loved their cuisine, and appreciated their rich culture.

"Where are we going Harm?" asked Tuna. He never knew where Harm was taking him. He never went to the same place twice.

He wanted to quench his thirst with a beer or two. They had been at sea for about three months, but hadn't had shore leave in two. While the beer they had on the Patrick Henry was drinkable, it wasn't very good. It wasn't the good stuff.

"I was thinking about this little cafe I know that overlooks the bay. Every time I've been there before there were lots of beautiful young ladies there waiting to be courted." smiled Harm.

"Sir, I thought you wanted to go some place exciting like a disco where we can eat, drink, and dance." queried Skates.

"I have to find a young lady to dance with first Skates. One meets a better class of ladies at a cafe. You have the opportunity to get to know them a little before spending too much time and money on them." smiled Harm.

"What about that marine that is in the picture you have on the night stand by your bed?" asked Tuna.

He had asked Harm about her a few times and Harm had told him that she was the most incredible woman he had ever known. They had spent many nights talking about her and why Harm hadn't done anything about it.

Harm had come up with many excuses, but Tuna had told him that was no way to live one's life. One should grab any opportunity for love for it could be fleeting. One never knew how long one was put on this earth for.

"She's in Washington Tuna. She can't very well go dancing with me if she's not here in Naples." sighed Harm.

He missed his marine more than he thought was possible. He missed her smile, the look of disbelief whenever he proved her wrong. She was so beautiful and sexy. She had an unbelievable mind that challenged him to be better than he thought was even possible.

"You just cursed him Tuna. He won't be dancing with anyone special tonight. He will be thinking about her and not the lady that he will be spending time with. Women like having a man's full attention. They don't like being ignored." replied Skates seriously.

"I don't believe in curses Skates. I assure you that I will find what I'm looking for at the cafe. There might even be a man or two for you Skates if you're not too picky." rebutted Harm. He had never met the woman who could resist his flyboy charms.

"Twenty bucks says Skates is right Harm. Tonight won't be what you expect." smiled Tuna.

"Oh, I'm sure you will find someone Sir, but I don't think it will be who you're expecting to find." challenged Skates.

"Somehow your convoluted logic makes sense Skates even though I didn't understand what it was that you said." affirmed Harm as they made their way to the cafe that overlooked the bay.

Local cafe

overlooking

the bay

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon. It was too nice to be inside doing paperwork. Mac decided to take a walk down to her favorite cafe. It had an outside terrace that overlooked the bay.

It was a beautiful sight when the fleet was in. There were many ships that gave contrast to the sea. In the late afternoon one could see the setting sun as it disappeared into the Med. It made the ships in the bay look very impressive.

It was a sight she enjoyed immensely. She got herself a special ice coffee with cinnamon, nutmeg, and whipped cream. She saw that her favorite table was empty. She went over to the table and sat down.

There was a gentle breeze coming from the sea that cooled her face. It would make getting a little sun more pleasurable. She didn't like looking too pale. She liked the healthy tan look.

She noticed that there were a few new ships in the bay tied up at the docks. She wondered if Harm's ship was one of them. It had been two years since she had seen him last. She missed him so much.

She could see that an aircraft carrier had arrived in the bay sometime during the day. She didn't know which one it was, but it was one of the first things Harm had taught her after she had arrived at Jag.

He thought it was a good idea that she understood the nuances in the different ships and how they operated. It would give her more credibility with the captains and they would respect her findings.

She still couldn't tell the difference between the Seahawk and the Patrick Henry. Maybe there weren't any, but she was sure Harm knew. She was brought out of her reverie when someone's shadow appeared and block the warmth of the sun from her face.

She was a little annoyed that they would stand between her and the sun. She looked up to see who it was. Maybe it was the waiter wanting to see if she needed anything else or a young man hoping to get a better look.

"Well if I live and breathe, it's Sarah MacKenzie, the best looking marine in the entire corps. What are you doing here Ms MacKenzie." greeted Harm with one of his pattern flyboy smile.

"I was enjoying myself and drinking an ice coffee. There's a nice view of the bay. The weather is especially nice today." smiled Mac.

Her heart began to beat faster. Harm always had that effect on her. She was happy that she had decided to play hooky now. She wondered how long he was going to be in Naples.

"The MacKenzie special I assume. Sarah, this is Tuna and Skates. Tuna is my bunkmate and Skates is my RIO." introduced Harm.

"You have my condolences Tuna. Jack has told me that Harm's room mates never seem to find a woman who like them." smiled Mac.

"That's okay Ma'am, I'm married. I only go out with Harm to keep him out of trouble. May I say Ma'am, you are even more beautiful than the picture Harm has of you on his night stand." replied Tuna as Harm began to squirm.

"Thank you Tuna, keeping Harm out of trouble is an impossible assignment Tuna. No one on record has been able to keep him out of trouble. Trouble has a way of finding him. How are you doing Skates? It's been awhile." asked Mac.

"Yes Ma'am. I see congratulations are in order." replied Skates as she noticed the silver oak leaves on Mac's collar.

"Please, both of you, call me Mac or Sarah." ordered Mac.

"Congratulations Mac, when? What are you doing here?" asked a confused Harm. While he was happy for her, he was also disappointed that she got promoted before he did. He did have three years on her.

Mac sensed that Harm's demeanor had changed. If she had to guess it had to be that Harm hadn't been promoted since his return to the fleet. He must be feeling a bit envious. She had told him that his future was with Jag and not with the fleet.

"She's been waiting for you Harm. I mean you do have a picture of her on the night stand by your bed. Didn't you tell me that you also carry a picture of her in your flight pocket over your heart." smirked Tuna causing Harm's face to turn red.

"Harmon." challenged Mac. Harm sighed as he pulled the photo from his jacket pocket. He held it up for Tuna and Skates to see.

"Which one Mac?" asked Harm. It was his way of showing them that Mac knew him better than he knew himself.

Mac smiled. There were two types of photos it could be. The first type would entail her wearing a long sexy evening gown showing all her ample curves. The second type would have to be of her in some kind of attractive civilian attire.

She didn't think he would show a bunch of horny young fighter pilots a picture of her in a formal evening gown, even if he could never keep his eyes or hands off her whenever she was in one. It would be too elitist.

That left civilian attire. Their time in Russia came to mind. She remembered dressing in gypsy clothing and was pleased with the effect it had on him. They had gotten very close during the time they were there.

"Since I know Harm better than he knows himself it not hard to know which one he would keep with him. It was during a time when we were very close and he was at his emotional worse. ..... It was three years ago when we were in Russia searching for his father. We were traveling with some gypsies." smiled Mac.

"That's amazing Mac. How did you know?" asked Skates in amazement.

"It had to be a picture he could show his friends. While he might show a picture to you of me wearing a gown, he's not going to show it to them. It had to be a candid shot in which I looked very nice, but not too formal.

That leaves suits, shorts, or a gypsy outfit. Besides I know first hand the effect that outfit had on him. He wouldn't leave my side when I was wearing it." smiled Mac.

"So why are you here in Naples Mac and not in Washington?" asked Harm.

While he was happy to see her, he was puzzled as to what she was doing here. He hadn't heard of anything that would require a senior Jag officer's presence in Naples.

"I'm stationed here now Harm. Shortly after you left I got promoted. Since you weren't in Washington anymore I saw no reason for me to stay. I had been there three years already.

It was the longest that I had been stationed anywhere. It was time for me to move on and utilize my language skills. Europe is the best place for me to do that." replied Mac.

"Didn't the Admiral object?" asked Harm.

"Yes. He even came up with some good arguments on why I should stay at headquarters. I was finally out of your shadow, there were many important political and military connections to be made, and I would handle all the important cases. I could show them I wasn't your sidekick, but your equal.

In the end I told him it was time for me to move on. I had already been there three years, longer than any other duty assignment that I had had. There wasn't anything keeping me there. You were gone and weren't coming back anytime soon." answered Mac.

"With your permission Mac, Tuna and I need to get going. There are some things we need to pick up in port." said Skates.

"What about Harm?" asked Mac. They had arrived here together.

"We can see that you both want to be alone. I'm sure that you both have a lot of catching up to do." replied Tuna.

"That would be nice, but I need to get back to work. I have some paperwork to finish up. But before you leave I have some paperwork for all of you to sign." ordered Mac.

They were all puzzled. What paperwork was Mac talking about? They had been joking about Mac waiting there for Harm to show up.

"What are you talking about Mac?" asked Harm.

Mac opened up her briefcase and pulled out some papers. She handed them to Harm.

"What is this Mac?" asked Harm.

"Sign your name below mine. Tuna and Skates, I will need you to sign as witnesses." ordered Mac.

"Witness to what Mac? What am I supposed to be witnessing?" asked a perplexed Skates.

"It's an application for a marriage license Skates." replied Harm noticing their stunned looks.

"Who's getting married Harm?" asked Tuna. He wondered if he knew the lucky sailor.

"When Harm left Washington two years ago to fly he promised me that when we got back together again in the future we would get marry." Mac began to explain.

Once again Tuna and Skates looked confused to what was happening. On one level they understood. They knew that Harm loved the Colonel, but on the other hand that didn't mean that he had any intentions of getting married anytime soon. Their guess would be it would happen after he stopped flying.

"I don't understand Colonel." replied Skates.

"You don't have to Skates. I'll see you both at 2000 hours tonight at the Naval Chapel. Don't be late." ordered Mac.

They looked over at Harm for some kind of response. Harm just nodded his head. He didn't exactly understand what was going on either, but he would find out and tell them later. He needed to talk with Mac. He waited until they were alone to begin.

"What's this all about Mac?" asked Harm.

"We had an agreement Harm. The next time we saw each other we would get married." replied Mac. She handed him the signed agreement.

"That was a very emotional night for both of us Mac. I believe that the intent of the agreement referred to when I returned to Washington after I stopped flying and if you weren't involved with someone at which point in time we would consider getting marry, that is if we still loved each other." argued Harm.

While he enjoyed arguing case law with Mac, he knew he had to tread lightly here. He didn't want to upset her and damage their relationship.

"Show me where in the agreement that you wrote that we were going to wait until you stopped flying or returned to Washington." ordered Mac.

"Mac!" whined Harm.

"What is the first thing you wrote in the agreement Harm?" asked Mac.

"You know what it says Mac." whined Harm. He knew he was losing this argument very quickly.

"Yes I do, It says you promise to marry me, Sarah MacKenzie, the next time we are together." replied Mac.

"I'm not going to win this discussion am I?" responded Harm in resignation.

"No you're not. I expect to see you tonight at the Chapel. Wear your dress whites and don't be late." smiled Mac.


	2. Chapter 2

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part two

1800 hours

Patrick Henry

Harm was heading out with Tuna and Skates. It was time to get married. Harm and Tuna were dressed in their dress whites as ordered. Skates was wearing a nice semi formal violet dress that came down to her knees.

They were about to disembark when they ran into Tom Boone who had been visiting with Captain Ingles. Tom had been vacationing in Europe this summer. It gave him the opportunity to see old friends whenever they came into port.

"Sir! What brings you here to the Patrick Henry?" exclaimed a surprised Harm wondering how he was going to explain why he was dressed in his dress whites.

"Just visiting with an old friend. Where are the three of you heading off to dressed so smartly?" replied a curious Tom.

"We've been invited to a special party Sir. I'm Tuna's date." replied Skates smugly.

"Where's your date Harm? Do I know her? I'm sure she must be beautiful and happens to like the color olive green." chuckled Tom.

"She's his lady love." replied Tuna.

"You have been here less than eight hours Harm. How were you able to find MacKenzie so quickly?" smiled Tom.

"You know about Harm and Mac Sir?" asked Tuna.

"Everyone who has ever seen them together Tuna knows that they are in love." replied Skates.

Harm shook his head in disbelief as Tom chuckled. He wondered where Skates had come up with that idea. Certainly not from Mac. There was always Harriet, but Harriet didn't know Skates and Bud wouldn't pass on such a kooky idea.

"I always know where she is Sir." Harm gave him his pat answer whenever someone got a little too personal about him and Mac.

"So this party that you're going to Harm, does it happen to be at a chapel?" probed Tom. He had an idea what this was all about.

"Sir?" replied Harm feigning any knowledge of the night's events. Skates laughed upon hearing her former CAG's insightfulness.

"What time do you have to be there Skates? Do I have enough time to change?" asked Tom Boone. He didn't want to waste any time getting the info out of Harm.

"2000 hours Sir." answered Skates.

"Good, it's only 1830 hours now. It'll take less than hour to get to the chapel. You're being very considerate Harm." smiled Tom.

"Harm has always said you don't want a marine angry at you." interjected Tuna.

"That's very good advice to live by Tuna. I better get a move on, if I want to make it there on time." conceded Tom and off he went singing some silly song to mark the occasion.

"What?" asked Tuna.

"How many times have I told you not to volunteer information to a senior officer when he's fishing." sighed Harm. Mac was going to kill him when she found out that Tom Boone was going to be at her wedding.

"I thought that it was amusing that he knows you so well. Besides he already knew." argued Tuna.

"He didn't know anything. You neither confirm nor deny. Damm you two." counseled Harm.

"I thought you said he was your Godfather, the man you respect more than anyone else in the world. I would think that you would want him there." argued Skates.

"That might be true if we were getting married at the Naval Academy Chapel and my mother and Frank were there, but you also know Mac doesn't exactly get along with Tom. They have butted head on more than a few occasions." countered Harm.

"It will be okay Harm. The Colonel will be too happy to worry about him being there." Skates tried to reassure him.

"Then you don't know Mac very well." sighed Harm.

Naval Chapel

An hour later they had arrived at the chapel. The Chaplin was there waiting to greet them. He instructed Skates to go to the waiting room where Mac was expecting her. She was going to need Skates' help in getting dress.

Harm and went with the Chaplin to have a talk about marriage and the effects of serving in the military had on it. They would be separated for long periods of time, but were still expected to remain faithful to each other.

"You look beautiful Mac." complimented Skates.

"Thank you Skates, how is Harm doing?" asked Mac.

"He's doing okay Mac. Nothing seems to faze him, though he wasn't too happy to see Admiral Boone." replied Skates before realizing her faux pas.

"He didn't invite him to the wedding did he? He knows I don't like him." wailed Mac.

"No Ma'am." replied Skates as she remembered what Harm told her about volunteering information. She was beginning to understand its wisdom.

"Skates!" demanded Mac. She hated it when squids started acting like clams.

"The Commander didn't invite him Ma'am, the CAG sort of guess what was happening tonight and invited himself. I don't know how he figured it out Ma'am." replied Skates defensively.

"He was the CAG Skates. He's an old man, he's been around for a long, long time. Old people have developed the canny ability to recognize deviant behavior coming from their junior officers." explained Mac.

"I really think he's happy for you and Harm, Mac. Harm is like a son to him." said Skates trying to reassure Mac.

"I know their connection Skates, but it doesn't change who he is. He doesn't like women in the military." countered Mac.

"That's not true Ma'am. In a way he's like you, he believes only the best should get ahead and those who can't cut it should be left behind. You shouldn't get ahead because you're a man, woman, white, black or for any other political agenda.

You remembered the first time we met. He was charged with sexual harassment because he grounded a woman because she was no damm good. She never accepted responsibility whenever she screwed up.

He was looking out for her, the ship, and the navy when he grounded her. He was trying to save her life and any one else unfortunate to be around her. I'll admit he's not exactly easy on women, but he has always done his best to take care of us.

He's like a father to many of us. It's his job to separate the wheat from the shaft. I'm sure not every lawyer is worthy of serving in the military. I'm sure the bad ones are eventually weeded out." argued Skates.

"You may be right Skates. I've always wanted to be judged on my ability, not by my sex. It's one of the reasons I go by Mac and not Sarah." sighed Mac.

"He wants Harm to be happy. He knows you're the only person that can do that for Harm. He doesn't want Harm to end up like him, alone at night with no one to love and enjoy life with. He want Harm to have a family." informed Skates.

Mac and Skates walked to the back of the chapel. It was time to get marry. She was a little surprised to see Tom Boone standing there waiting for them.

"Will you allow me the honor Ms MacKenzie of walking you down the aisle to the man you love and giving you to him so that you both can be happy for the rest of your lives." greeted Tom.

"Thank you Tom." replied Mac. It was a beautiful speech. She could tell that he was being quite sincere about what he was saying about Harm and her.

She looked to the front of the chapel and saw Harm and Tuna standing there waiting for her to walk down the aisle. Harm looked calm and collective as always. Nothing ever seemed to faze him. She would have thought getting married like this would have thrown him off some, but it didn't.

Skates was already walking down the aisle to join them. In a few moments she took Tom's arm as they walked down the aisle to Harm. Tom gave her hand to Harm and went to stand on the other side of Tuna.

"Take good care of this special lady Harm. She'll make you happy for the rest of your life."

Harm and Tuna were waiting at the front of the chapel. Harm had to talk to with the Chaplin for fifteen minutes earlier. He was still wondering why he was doing this. They never had this kind of relationship when they worked together.

Sure he loved her, who wouldn't love her, she was perfect. He loved her more than he ever thought he loved Diane and Annie, but they had never had a conversation about spending the rest of their lives together.

He wasn't even sure what she wanted. Hell, he didn't know what he wanted. He had always assumed that he would wait until he was finish flying before he got married and had a family.

He thought that there would be plenty of time to find someone, but he had already found someone. She has waited patiently for him now for five years. When would he stop flying? How long would Mac wait for him?

He began working things out in his mind. Sarah was already thirty four. How long do you wait before having children? How many children did Mac or he want to have? What affect would that have on Mac if they waited? He had heard that children born later in a woman's life had a greater risk of problems.

"Are you ready Harm?" asked Tuna. He was sure Harm wasn't thinking about getting married when he woke up this morning.

"Yeah, though I'm not sure that I'm doing the right thing. I do love her, but is it right that we're getting married in this manner?" pondered Harm.

"Only you can make that decision Harm. I can tell you this, Mac is very special. If she was in love with me I would have married her a long time ago. I wouldn't have let anything stand in the way of that." replied Tuna.

"I've been told that more than a few times Tuna." sighed Harm.

"What are you afraid of Harm? Being married is the greatest thing in the world. To love someone completely and be loved in return is the greatest gift one can have. It gives you something to look forward to at the end of the cruise.

Stop thinking about the worse things that can happen to you and what effect it might have on others. Grab what life has to offer and enjoy it to the fullest. You'll never regret it." advised Tuna.

It wasn't long before he saw Mac walking down the aisle on Tom's arm. He was a little surprised at seeing such a sight. He knew she didn't like Tom. She looked so beautiful.

He began to realize that he had indeed been an idiot all these years for not marrying this extremely beautiful creature before now. All he could think of now was making her happy for the rest of her life.

He gazed into her eyes before sharing a loving kiss with her before turning to face the Chaplin. The ceremony didn't last long. They shared another kiss after they were pronounced husband and wife.

"Where to next Mrs. Rabb?" smiled Tom.

He was glad that he came. He could see that they were both very happy. They had overcome their greatest fear, that is the fear of being rejected and abandoned.

"To the Officer's Club Sir. I need to change first. You might want to call over first and order another dinner for the MacKenzie party if you intend on eating. I'm sure they won't give you any trouble ..... Admiral." smirked Mac.


	3. Chapter 3

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part three

Flash back to

May 1999

What should have been a happy time was quickly becoming very bad. She had gone to the hospice to see her father before he died. She would finally get all the pain she had been suffering for years off her chest, she would finally get closure.

But instead when she got there she found out that he had lapsed into a coma and died before she could say anything to him. At least she had been able to reconnect with her mother again after so many years apart.

A large weight had been lifted from her heart. Her mother hadn't abandoned her, but had left to escape the years of abused that her father had levied onto her mother. Her mother wasn't emotionally equip at the time to uproot Sarah.

She had nothing to offer Sarah. She had no jobs or any money. It was better that she stay where at least she had a roof over her head and food in her belly. Her mother needed to get whole before she could come back for Sarah.

When Sarah returned home she found out that Harm had had laser surgery on his eyes, why she asked? What possible reason did he need to have his eyes fix? She knew the answer to that and didn't like it.

She had arranged for Chloe to live with her grandparents. She would be leaving in a few days. Now Harm was leaving to fly. Why did everyone she love leave her? Why did he have to fly? Why?

"When are you leaving Harm?" asked Mac. Tears were forming in her eyes.

"Nothing is official yet Mac." replied Harm.

He wasn't ready to have this discussion with her. He thought that Mac understood why he had to return to the fleet and fly. It was in his blood, but she didn't want him to leave either. Jordan hadn't understood when she found his request to change his designator.

"You do know you're throwing away your career Harm." informed Mac.

"I don't think I am Mac. I'm going back to the fleet. I'm going to be doing what I was born to do. It's what I always wanted to be and do." countered Harm.

"What about being a lawyer Harm? You're very good, possibly the best in the military. The Admiral has you on the fast track to be the JAG some day." argued Mac.

"I seriously doubt that Mac. You're the one who is his chief of staff. You're the one who has been getting accelerated promotions all during your career, not I. I have too many dings. I lost three years after the crash and reinventing myself.

You will be the JAG long before I will. They're going to want a marine someday. They're going to want a woman. Being the Chief of Staff will give you a leg up on everyone. You're going to have the administrative experience." countered Harm.

"I don't want you to leave Harm. I've waited three years. When is it going to be our turn to be together?" wailed Mac.

"I thought we talked about that the day when Harriet had her baby." sighed Harm not wanting to go there with her. He wasn't ready.

"I don't want to wait five years Harm." wailed Mac.

"It's the best that I can promise you Mac. We'll be together the next time I see you." offered Harm as he tried to reassure her.

"I would like that in writing sailor. I don't want you to renege on our deal." replied Mac.

"Okay Mac, I promise that we will get married the next time we get together." said Harm wondering why she was doing his to him. First it was Jordan, now Mac? Why did they want something from him that he was unable to give?

He wrote the promise on a sheet of paper and signed it. Mac also signed the paper. While Mac thought that meant she would see him sooner, Harm was thinking quite the opposite. Mac would be here in Washington waiting for him to return to Jag.

He would be elsewhere in the world. When he came back to the states, it wouldn't be to Washington. He thought it would be to La Jolla where he would visit with his mother.

They shared a kiss before he said goodbye and was gone. Mac put the agreement into her briefcase for safe keeping and to be available whenever the next time they were together again.

25 June 1999

The Admiral walked into his office. He had an announcement to make. The paperwork was finally completed and finalized. He would make Mac his official Chief of Staff. Her future in the military looked bright.

"Major MacKenzie, front and center!" bellowed the Admiral.

"It is my privilege and honor to announce your promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and officially make you my Chief of Staff." declared the Admiral.

"Yes Sir! Thank you Sir!" replied Mac. She was happy to hear the news, but was sad that Harm wasn't there to share in the promotion with her. She felt empty inside. Once again she wasn't able to share her happiness with anyone. She began to feel depress.

Everyone in the office gathered around to congratulate her. She felt very uneasy about all of it. Harm wasn't there. He should have been the one getting promoted. He was the better lawyer and leader.

He had taught her so much about the nuances of navy, conducting investigations, and looking for all the possibilities in the search of the truth. Then of course she didn't want to be there since Harm wasn't there.

She had to work more often with Brumby. That meant being exposed to his vulgar and disgusting sexual advances. Every time he said something it had to have some sexual innuendo connected to it.

She had asked the Admiral several times about assigning him to someone else, but he told her he liked having his two best people working together. And then there was Bud and Harriet. They were driving her nuts.

They seemed so able and competent when Harm was around. She could joke around with him about how Bud and Harriet acted. But now though she saw them for who they were, two bumbling idiots who didn't belong in the Navy.

She didn't know how much longer she could stand being here especially after the Admiral just promote her to Lieutenant Colonel and made her his Chief of Staff. But she had been there longer than any other place she had been stationed since she joined the marines.

It was time for her to leave and move on. She would stay for another two months before she put in her request for transfer. She owed the Admiral that courtesy.

1 September 1999

Several months later Sarah went into the Admiral's office. It was time, time to move on with her life. She hated to leave because it meant disappointing the Admiral. He believed in her, but she couldn't stay there any longer.

"What is this Colonel?" asked the Admiral. He was already shorthanded since losing Rabb, the last thing he needed was to lose MacKenzie too.

"My request for a transfer Sir." replied Mac.

"What in the hell for Colonel. You're my Chief of Staff, you've received an early promotion, you're out of Rabb's shadow now. It's your time to show the Naval Senior Staff how good you really are.

It's you opportunity to get to know the important people in Washington. Don't tell me this is about Rabb leaving. He would want you to stay and do everything possible to advance your career." argued the Admiral.

"I've been stationed here longer than any other duty assignment Sir. It's time for me to move on. There's nothing left to keep me here Sir. And you're right Harm isn't here.

And then there is the fact that I don't want to work with Brumby and his sexual overtures, but you have refused to listen to me about that therefore I need to leave." countered Mac.

"I can't afford to lose you Colonel." replied the Admiral.

"I can't stay here Sir. I want to be in Europe where I can utilize my language skills. I would hate to resign my commission Sir, but I will if I have to." argued Mac.

"Very well Colonel, if that is what you really want. It will slow down a very promising career." sighed the Admiral.

"Thank you Sir." replied Mac.

"It might take awhile. There aren't that many billets for Lieutenant Colonels in the Jag Corp. I will also need to find a replacement for you before you leave." cautioned the Admiral.

Jan 2000

Naples, Italy

It took a few months before a transfer could be worked out. The Admiral wasn't going to allow her to go to Naples until he had a competent replacement for her. He managed to get a Commander Turner from Hawaii.

He was looking to return home to the DC area. He had been raised in Maryland and was now ready to come home. Commander Lindsey tried to get back to JAG. He didn't care much for what he did and his career wasn't advancing as much as he thought it should.

But the Admiral didn't want any part of him. He had a poor record as a trial lawyer. He had never been assigned to go away to conduct investigations. He had been working many years for the SecNav instead of in the courtroom.

Finally he didn't do a good job when he was the acting JAG. He had shown that he was a poor leader. He wasn't worthy of being in a command position. All he would do is retard the growth of a more worthy officer.

Mac moved everything including her corvette to Italy. It was a refreshing change for her. The weather was beautiful, no more snow unless you traveled to the mountain.

Her afternoons were spent at her favorite cafe drinking her special blend of ice coffee and watching the sun set over the Mediterranean. She handled any investigation that occurred in the European theatre.

She tried a few cases, but overall her workload was greatly reduced as she assumed more administrative duties which pleased her. With her language skills she was able to work out the subtle difference that languages could cause when the wrong words were used causing misinterpretations of legal documents.


	4. Chapter 4

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part four

2200 hours

June 2005

Naples, Italy

It had been a long day and Mac was getting ready for bed. She was just about ready to turn off the lights and crawl into bed when her phone rang. It was a call from Washington, a number she faintly remembered.

"MacKenzie speaking." answered Mac wondering who could be calling her at this late hour of the night. The fleet wasn't in so it wasn't likely that anyone was in trouble.

"Colonel, this General Cresswell. I need you to hop on the next plane and get to Washington pronto." order the General.

"Sir, may I ask you what this is about." sighed Mac. What did he expect her to do? She wasn't a miracle worker.

"Commander Rabb was flying a patrol run up the coast for home land security when his plane developed engine problems and crashed. The Commander punched out late and was severely injured. The doctors need your permission to operate since you hold his medical proxy." replied the General.

"How serious is it Sir?" asked Mac.

"Sooner would be better Colonel. You need to get here as soon as possible. He's stable for the moment." replied the General.

"It will have to wait until tomorrow morning Sir. It's pretty late here. I have too many responsibilities to just leave." replied Mac.

"I've already been in touch with your CO Colonel. He has been informed that you are needed here. I need you here now." countered the General.

"I don't report to you Sir. As I told you before I have responsibilities I will need to take care of before I can go anywhere. I will call you in the morning to let you know when I will be arriving. Good night Sir." replied Mac before hanging up the phone.

She was not going to give the General the opportunity to keep the pissing contest going, especially one that he wasn't going to win. She had plenty of things to do now before she went to bed.

Since she didn't know how long she was going to be in the Washington area she needed to pack her bags with enough clothing and a few uniforms to last her and Tory during their stay in Washington.

Damm idiot! Who does he think he is anyways. She wasn't some first year cadet who jump when a senior officer showed his face or barked.

Mac was up early the next morning. She had called her CO the night before to ask him why he had let the General disturb her so late. He had the duty officer arranged a flight for her and Tory. She was please to learn that he would be sending a car for her to take her to the airport.

"Sir, I just got a call from General Cresswell, the JAG in Washington. It seems he needs me in Washington yesterday. I need to take emergency medical leave Sir." Mac informed her CO.

"He's called me twice Mac. The second time was after he talked to you. He wasn't too happy that you hung up on him. He was pissing and moaning the whole time. I had warned him about calling you so late at night,

but as you probably know already Generals don't like being told no and seldom listen to what they don't want to hear. I don't think he realized the time difference was six hours.

He seemed to understand after I told him that you have a three year old daughter to contend with. He apologizes for his rudeness. I had Lieutenant Mason book you on a flight to London then onto Washington through New York.

It leaves at 0900 hours alpha tomorrow morning and arrives in Washington at 1900 hours alpha. It was the best we could do. I'll have a car waiting for you outside your home at 0730 hours alpha.

I assume that you will be taking Victoria with you. Emily would be happy to watch her while you're gone if you like." bantered Colonel Parker.

"Yes Sir, thank you. About leave Sir?" asked Mac.

"I can give you a week Mac." replied Colonel Parker.

"Sir, I'm authorize up to six month of leave." argued Mac.

"Only for a family member Mac." countered Colonel Parker.

"Sir, Commander Rabb is my husband." Mac informed him.

"Very well then Mac, keep me inform about how long you're going to be away. I expect to hear from you when you know more." conceded Colonel Parker understanding now why she was his medical proxy.

"Thank you Sir, it's been awhile since Tory has seen her father. She misses him so much." wailed Mac.

"I'm sure he misses her too." conceded Colonel Parker. He knew from personal experience that most sailors miss their love ones when they were away.

Mac had just completed packing everything she was going to need when she heard Tory walk into the room.

"Hi baby, how are you this morning?" asked Mac as she knelt down to give Tory a kiss and hug.

"I'm hungry." replied Victoria.

"Aren't you always. I'll fix you breakfast while you get dress. I've laid out your clothes on the chair by your bed. Breakfast will be ready when you're done." instructed Mac.

Victoria liked to get dress by herself. She was a big girl. Big girls dressed themselves, they didn't have their mommies help them. After breakfast Mac sat down to have a talk with Victoria about what they were going to do today.

"We're going on an airplane today sweetie." began Mac.

"Where are we going?" asked Victoria curiously.

"We're going to Washington DC. It's in the United States." replied Mac.

"Are we going to see daddy?" asked Victoria.

"Yes sweetie, but first daddy has to have an operation. He was in a bad accident and got a big boo boo. He will be sleeping when we see him." replied Mac.

"Are we going to stay with him?" asked Victoria.

"For a little while until he can take care of himself." replied Mac. She wished that they could be together longer, but that wasn't the way the military work. Couples were routinely separated.

A short time later the car was there for Mac. The driver took her bags to the car and drove her and Tory to the airport. They arrived at 0820 hours. Mac decided to call the General.

At first she was going to wait and call him at 0600 hours in the morning Washington time. But she decided to called him now at 0230 hours to disturb him in his sleep. Payback is a bitch she thought.

"General Cresswell speaking." the General answered the phone moaning about being disturb so early in the morning.

"This Colonel MacKenzie Sir. I'm calling to let you know that I will be leaving Naples at 0900 hours alpha. I'll be arriving at Dulles International in Washington at 1900 hours alpha from New York." informed Mac.

"I'll send someone to pick you up Colonel. Do you know what time it is here?" asked the General.

"Yes Sir, I'm sure it's after midnight Sir, but I've just confirmed my flight itinerary. It was the first flight to the States this morning. I thought that you would want to know ASAP." said Mac as she chuckled to herself.

"You could have flown out last night. There was a transport flying to Norfolk." moaned the General. He didn't like having his sleep disturbed.

"I informed you last night that was a NOGO Sir. I have other more important responsibilities. I will see you Sir in eleven hours. I'm sure that you will have the Surgeon present when I arrive." replied Mac.


	5. Chapter 5

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part five

0800 hours

Bethesda

The General made the trip to Bethesda early the next morning. He wanted to update the surgeon who was going to operate on Harm. He wanted to tell him that he had gotten a hold of Colonel MacKenzie and that she was on the way to Bethesda from Italy and would be arriving around 1330 hours.

The surgeon wasn't too happy with the news. He thought it was important to operate on Harm as soon as possible. He believed the longer they waited the greater the chance there was of developing complications.

The General told him to stop his whining and be prepare to meet with the Colonel when she arrived. Naples was six hours ahead and it was quite late when they got in touch with her. There weren't any flights available.

The Colonel got the first available one this morning. He ordered him to be available when the Colonel arrived. He didn't want to go looking for him.

1330 hours

Bethesda

Bud and Harriet were in the waiting room with a few of Harm's friends. They had worked that morning and took a half a day's leave to be there for Harm. Tuna and Skates were there in the waiting room as well as Tom Boone and AJ, Harm's former CO.

They all had heard about Harm's crash and had wanted to be there for him and as well as many of Harm's friends. Harm was like a son to Tom and AJ. Harm was a special man of high moral values, a real credit to the Navy.

"What's the story AJ? How come they haven't operated on Harm yet?" asked a peeved Tom. He felt like pacing the room like a cage tiger.

"It was my understanding he was unconscious when they brought him in and he hasn't regained consciousness since he arrived. They need his medical contact person to sign off on the surgery. Colonel MacKenzie is still that person and she's stationed in Europe." replied AJ.

"She's still there in Europe? I would have thought that she would have come back to the States once Harm left the fleet." asked a puzzled Tom.

"It's not that easy Tom. There are limited positions for lawyers of her grade in Washington. Not everyone wants to leave Washington once they've gotten here. There were a lot of important people here that were very upset when she left.

She and Rabb made quite the impression when they were here. Senators and Congressmen wanted to be seen and be associated with them. They ruffled more than a few feathers when they decided to leave." explained AJ.

"The reason I ask is because Rabb and MacKenzie got married a few years back." replied Tom.

"What?" asked a stunned AJ. "What are you talking about Tom?"

He was stunned. Why didn't he know anything about this. He thought that he had a good relationship with both of them although he had to admit he hadn't talked to either one of them since they left headquarters. Hell he hardly e-mailed them.

"Yeah, they got married about four years ago. It seems that they had a written agreement to get married the next time they were together. When he tried to talk her out of it, she produced the agreement that he had signed.

It said he promised to wed her the next time they were together. Of course he thought that meant after he left the fleet and returned to Washington." smiled Tom.

"But Harm never breaks a promise especially to Mac. I would have liked to have been there when she finally nabbed him. Harm hates to be outplayed." chuckled AJ.

"It'll be nice to see her again AJ." smiled Tom.

"You don't even like her Tom." argued AJ.

"That's not true AJ. It's the female JAGs that don't like me. MacKenzie is a special woman. Did you know I gave her away to Harm at their wedding?" smiled Tom.

"I didn't even know that they were married Tom. I haven't seen Mac since the day she left. Harm has been over to the house a few times to watch the ballgame since he's been back. He never said a word to me about being married to Mac." whined AJ.

Again he felt a sense of sadness cross his mental state. He thought he and Harm were in a good place since his return. Why hadn't Harm said anything to him about marrying Mac?

Meanwhile Bud was having a conversation with his wife Harriet about a woman he saw sitting in the waiting area that he didn't know. He wondered what she was doing there. He thought only Harm friends knew about his crash.

"Do you know who that woman is Harriet?" asked Bud.

"She's Mary Jo Carpenter. She says she's the Commander's fiancee. What's wrong Bud?" asked Harriet. She noticed the constipated look that came across his face.

"The Colonel is coming here to Washington Harriet. I was hoping that maybe you were right about them, that they might be able to find a way to be together. You know like before." whined Bud.

"That ship sailed a long time ago Bud. I heard through some reliable sources that she got married a few years ago in Europe." informed Harriet causing Bud to sulk as depression began to set in.

Skates and Tuna walked over to Bud and Harriet. They knew Bud from all the times he came to the fleet as part of the investigation team with Harm. They could see that Bud was distressed about something. He had that constipated look on his face.

"What's wrong Bud?" asked Skates. He looked like he was having a heart attack to her.

"Harriet just told me that Colonel MacKenzie is married." whined Bud.

"That's right Bud. Tuna and I were at her wedding." smiled Skates. She guess the news of Harm and Mac getting married hadn't filtered its way back to headquarters even after four years.

"I was hoping that ... maybe ... you know ... the Colonel might get back together with ..... they love each other. She's going to be here in a few hours." whined Bud.

"Bud, Mac married the man of her dreams. She's very happy. It wasn't a long courtship, but for Mac it was love at first sight." smiled Skates.

Bud was even more depressed than before. He couldn't understand how the Colonel could marry someone other than Commander Rabb. It didn't make any sense to him. They loved each other. Even Harriet could see that.

Skates and Tuna took a seat away from Bud and Harriet.

"What are you doing Skates? You know Mac married Harm. Why are you tormenting the poor devil?" asked Tuna.

"I pretty much as told him that they were married Tuna. You heard Bud, they are in love with each other. I told him that she married the man of her dreams. Wouldn't that man be Harm? Is it my fault he can't put two and two together?" replied Skates.


	6. Chapter 6

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part six

Flight 267

over the Atlantic

Mac arrived at the airport with Tory. She had a carryon bag large enough to contain several books to read, coloring books, a game, and some snacks for Tory to eat. It was surprising to her that Tory didn't like to try new foods whenever they were away from home.

Since she didn't know what kind of food the airlines might be serving. She decided to bring some food that she knew Tory would eat. She didn't want a hungry and fussy little girl to deal with.

She met a nice fight attendant name Carol who was flying through to Washington. She always wanted to see the nation's capitol. Mac gave her a list of sights to see and restaurants that served excellent food.

Carol thanked her and in turn offered Mac a list of books and coloring books for Tory to use. Mac thanked her, but told her that she had come prepared for the long trip. She had talked to Trish about traveling with a small child.

Carol help Mac with Tory when they changed planes in London and New York. Tory fell asleep as the flight neared New York. She didn't wake up until they arrived in Washington.

"You have a beautiful daughter Sarah." observed Carol.

"Thank you. She's my special little girl. She already speaks another language." smiled Mac.

"That's not too unusual in Europe though I'm not sure if they teach a small child another language until they start school." replied Carol.

"I'm sure you're right, but she spends a couple of days a week with some Italian kids that don't speak English. Kids have a way of learning how to communicate with each other. I think she has my aptitude for languages." agreed Mac.

"How many languages do you speak?" asked Carol curiously.

"At last count I believe it was ten." smiled Mac.

"That's quite impressive Sarah. Not many people speak more than three even in Europe. Where's her father?" asked Carol.

"He at Bethesda right now. It seems like the plane he was flying developed some engine problems and crashed. He was hurt pretty badly." replied Mac.

"He's a pilot?" asked Carol in awe.

"Only part time now, most of the time he a lawyer. He's the best." replied Mac. She felt tears welling up in her eyes now. She was proud that her husband was very successful in two occupations.

When they arrived in DC Mac waited until everyone had departed the plane. Tory was sleeping. Mac didn't want to contend with people bumping into her as she tried to leave the plane with a sleeping child.

Carol offered to take her carryon bag. She was surprised at how heavy it was. Mac was please to see a friendly face when she walked into the lounge. It was Jason Tiner, a wonderful young man who liked to help people.

"Good afternoon Ma'am. Let me take her for you. Do you have any bags in baggage claims?" greeted Jason.

"Thank you Jason. It's nice to see you again. I have a few bags I need to retrieve." replied Mac as she let Jason carry Tory. She was getting bigger every day.

They walked down to baggage claim. Jason threw Mac's duffle bag over his shoulder with ease and carried Tory. Mac took the suitcase that had rollers. Carol had the carryon bag. They walked to the car.

Jason packed everything in to the trunk while Mac put Tory into the car and buckled her in. She thanked Carol for all her assistance and promised to call her in a few days to get together for lunch.

Thirty minutes later they arrived at Bethesda. Tory woke up hungry. Mac asked her if she wanted some ice cream. Tory said yes. Jason volunteered to take her to the cafeteria to get some ice cream. Mac went upstairs to meet with the doctors about Harm's condition.

She was surprised to see the Admiral and Tom Boone were there. Both of them were retired now and had very little reason to know anything about Harm being in the hospital due to his plane going down.

It must have been Harriet, the snot nosed Lieutenant who was looking for brownie points, who had informed them. She walked over to say hello to them. They were quite please to see her.

"Afternoon Admiral, Admiral Tom." greeted Mac as she walk into the waiting area.

"It's AJ now Mac. I'm no longer in the Navy." replied AJ as he greeted her with a hug.

"I know that Sir. It's just a sign of respect that you deserve." replied Mac.

"It's nice to see you again Mac. I wish the circumstances were different." greeted Tom.

"So do I Sir. Have you seen the doctor? Has he said anything?" asked Mac.

"He should be around here somewhere. Cresswell read him the riot act and ordered him to be available when you arrived. Let me have him paged." offered Tom as he walk over to the nurse's station.

"So, I hear from Tom that congratulations are in order Mac. I was surprised to hear that you and Harm got married. I thought we were on good terms when you left." whined AJ.

"Sir? I have been gone from headquarters for six years. I don't remember receiving many letters or e-mails from you. You're worse than Harm when it comes to communicating with someone.

He at least made the effort to stay in touch with me before we got married even though it wasn't as often as he would have liked." replied Mac.

"How often do you see him?" asked AJ changing the subject realizing that she was right.

"I had only seen him once in the two years before we got married. But after we were married he would stay with me two or three times a year for about four to six months." explained Mac.

But before their conversation could go any further the doctor arrived. He was a captain in the navy and had been a surgeon for almost twenty years.

"Good afternoon Ms MacKenzie." greeted the doctor.

"It's Colonel MacKenzie Sir." corrected Mac.

"Sorry. Colonel, may we so somewhere private to talk?" asked the doctor.

"It's okay Sir, this is Admiral Cheggewidden, Harm's former CO and Admiral Boone, his godfather." replied Mac.

"Very well then, Commander Rabb suffered some very serious injuries. None are life threatening if we take care of them now. They could cause serious problems though if we wait too long." informed the doctor.

"What is his recovery time Sir?" asked Mac.

"We're looking at eight to twelve weeks at least, maybe more depending on how fast he heals." replied the doctor.

"May I see him before you operate on him?" asked Mac.

"You may Colonel, but he hasn't been awake since he arrived here yesterday. You can have fifteen minutes. We need to prep him for surgery." replied the doctor.

"How long will the surgery take Sir?" asked Mac.

"It will be at least eight hours if we don't have any complications. He probably won't wake up until tomorrow afternoon." replied the doctor. "He'll be sedated so that his body can heal."

"Thank you Sir." said Mac.

The doctor had a nurse take Mac to Harm's room. Mac sat down in the chair by Harm's bed. She took his large hand in her two smaller ones and began to talk to him.

"If you wanted to see me Flyboy, all you had to do was call. I have more than enough leave time accrued to come to Washington for a visit. Victoria talks about you all the time. She misses you very much. She's gotten so big. She has grown nearly six inches since the last time you saw her.

The mighty midget called me last night. He expected me to drop everything to fly back here on cargo plane. Doesn't he know that most people have a life when they are off duty.

I wasn't going to come here and see you without bringing her along with me. She wanted to see you too. I couldn't be away from her that long. She needs to see you. You need to see her. The doctor says you're going to be laid up for quite some time. You're going to be on the injure reserve list for the entire summer.

It will be at least two months before you can return to work. I hope I will be able to stay with you until you do. I had to convince my CO. He only wanted to give me a week. No way was that going to happen. I would have resigned fist.

It shouldn't be too bad. You usually heal rather quickly and you've been through the rehab process before." Mac rambled on.

It was good to see him even under these circumstances. She missed him so much. It was time for them to be together even if it meant leaving the military to do so. She didn't want to live another day without him in her life anymore or Tory's life.

"We have to get him ready now Ma'am." informed the nurse. She could see the love that Mac had for Harm.

"Okay, take good care of him please." wailed Mac as she got up and left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part seven

Mac walked back to the waiting room. She wanted to let everyone know that Harm would be in surgery for eight hours. He wouldn't be waking up until tomorrow afternoon. Everyone should go home and get some rest.

The first people she talked to were Bud and Harriet. She really didn't understand why they were here and not at work. Harm had been gone from Jag for more than five years. Their relationship with Harm wasn't the same as it was before.

"It's good to see you again Ma'am." greeted Harriet.

"Harriet, Bud. I'm surprised to see you here. Don't you have work to do?" replied Mac.

"We wanted to be here for the Commander Ma'am." whimpered Bud. He was wondering why she was questioning their loyalty.

"There's nothing you can do here Bud. Harm is going to be in surgery for the rest of the day. He won't wake up until tomorrow afternoon. Only his family will be able to visit with him.

He won't be ready for visitors for at least another four or five days after that. I'll call you when he's ready to see you. Now you should go back to work or go home and be with your family." informed Mac.

"But Ma'am, we can be here for you. We can talk about what has happened here since you left." protested Harriet.

"There will be plenty of time for us to get together Harriet. I expect to be here for at least two weeks." explained Mac.

Next Mac walked over to a young woman she didn't recognize who was sitting alone. She wondered who she was and why she was here.

"Excuse me Miss, are you waiting word on Harm?" asked Mac.

"Yes Ma'am, they told me his plane crashed and that he was hurt, but they won't tell me anything." replied Mary Jo.

"Yes he was. He will be in surgery for the rest of the day. Only his family will be able to see him afterwards. If you give me your name and a number that I can reach you at, I'll let you know when he can have visitors." replied Mac.

"But I'm his fiancee. He'll want to see me when he wakes up." whined Mary Jo.

"You better hope that his wife doesn't find out." smiled Mac. She must be another one of his misguided groupies.

"He's married?" asked a shocked Mary Jo.

"Yes, and from what I hear she's a kick ass marine." smiled Mac.

She met with Skates and Tuna next and gave them an update. She suggested that they go home and that she would call them tomorrow with an update. Afterwards she looked around for Jason and Victoria.

They had been gone for quite some time now. She was surprised that they hadn't return. She was pleased to see that Trish and Frank were here. It had been a long time since she had seen them last.

"Hi Trish, Frank." greeted Mac.

"Sarah! How are you? How's Harm? Tom told us when we got here that you were in to see him. They haven't told us much." greeted Trish in return.

"He was sleeping. The doctor says he has a few crack vertebrates. They want to go in and clean up the mess so it won't get infected. He also broke his hip and left leg. The doctor says he should be fine after the surgery." informed Mac.

"He's not going to be too happy. He was a bear the last time he was laid up. What about you? How are you doing? It must have been hard for you when you heard about Harm. You were so far away." asked a concerned Trish.

"I'm more angry with him than fearful. He's not supposed to be flying anymore. It was part of the agreement when he returned to Jag. We talked about it for hours. No more flying. He has too much to live for now. He has nothing left to prove to anyone, least of all to himself." ranted Mac a little angrily.

"Speaking of which, is the little angel here?" asked Trish.

"I hope she's not talking about that young lady over in the corner." AJ whispered to Tom.

"I don't think so AJ." replied Tom with a smile.

"She's with Jason. They went down to the cafeteria to get some ice cream. That was over an hour ago. I wonder where they are." answered a concerned Mac.

But before anyone could say anything they heard the ring announcing the arrival of the elevator and the door opening. Out came a whirlwind of energy heading rapidly towards Mac. Mac bend over to gather her into her arms and stood up.

"What do you have here sweet pea?" asked Mac.

"Jason said that this is your favorite meal ever. He said you use to eat it everyday." smiled Victoria.

"It is my favorite meal whenever your father doesn't cook. But for the record honey I only ate it twice a week. I like variety in my diet. Thank you sweet pea. Thank you Jason. I was beginning to feel hungry." replied Mac.

"No problem Ma'am. It's part of the job description, anticipate what an officer needs and have it ready for them when they ask for it." smiled Jason. He handed another bag to Frank with enough food to feed everyone there.

"Who is this beautiful little girl?" AJ asked Tory.

"My name is Tory. This is my mommy. Who are you?" asked Victoria.

"My name is AJ. I used to be your mommy's CO." replied AJ.

"Hi Uncle Tom, Grandma!" greeted Victoria excitedly when she saw them. She struggled to get out of Mac's arms to go over to see Trish. They shared a hug and kiss.

"I missed you too Tory." greeted Trish.

"Ma'am, I managed to get the General to let Petty Officer Coates assist you during your stay here. She can help you get settled in and assist you with Tory on a daily basis." offered Jason.

"Thank you Jason. How did you manage that?" asked Mac.

"I think it had more to with the general wanting to get me out of his hair for a few days. Jason has been training me to take over for him as the general's yeoman. It seems he doesn't like the idea that I'm smarter than he is. He doesn't like it when I have what he wants before he asks for it." smiled Jen causing AJ to laugh.

"I told the general when he arrived at headquarters last year he was getting the best personnel possible to have working for him. He should just let them do their jobs and his life would be much easier. I guess he hasn't accepted that premise yet." chuckled AJ.

"Some people never do AJ. They think with rank they need to do more instead of delegating the work to others who are more than qualified to do it." added Tom.

"Jason, you don't suppose you could take Tory and me to Harm's place?" requested Mac.

"Ma'am?" asked a confused Jason.

"Jason, I told you on the way from the airport that Harm and I are married." sighed Mac. It amazed her that he still had these moments of forgetfulness.

"Yes Ma'am. Jen, you should come with us." replied Jason.

"Trish, where are you and Frank staying?" asked Mac.

"I have invited them to stay with me." volunteered Tom.

"Then I will see you all tomorrow. Harm is supposed to wake up after 1200 hours." added Mac.

"Aren't you going to wait until Harm gets out of surgery Mac?" asked AJ.

"You forget Sir, for me it's after 2000 hours. Normally I would be getting Tory ready for bed about now, but she's spent half the day asleep on the plane. She's going to be up well past her normal bedtime.

Even I will probably be up later than I would like. I have left word with the doctor and nurses to call me if anything goes wrong." replied Mac.

Jason took Mac and Tory to Harm's residence. During the ride Mac became a little confused. It wasn't where Mac thought Harm lived. Where was Jason taking her? They weren't heading back to Georgetown or DC.

"Where are we going Jason? I don't remember going to DC this way." asked Mac.

"The Commander lives outside the city Ma'am. I didn't understand why he moved at the time, but I do now," replied Jason smiling.

"I don't understand." asked Mac.

"He's married and has a child." said Jason.

Mac was still puzzled until they pulled up in front of a large house with a large wrap around porch and a big yard. It was beautiful.

"Welcome home Colonel!" exclaimed Jason as he got out of the car to open her door.

"Harm lives here? He didn't tell me he bought a house." wailed Mac.

"He only completed the sale two weeks ago Ma'am. We have been helping him move in and get it ready. I think he wanted to surprise you and give you a reason to stay." explained Jason.

"He didn't need a reason. It is impressive looking." observed Mac.

"It has five bedrooms, three baths upstairs. He has set up a couple of rooms downstairs for offices. It has all the amenities. He even upgraded the kitchen." explained Jason.

"Come on Tory, let's go look at daddy's house." smiled Mac.

"Are we going to live here?" asked Veronica as her eyes lit at the sight.

"Until daddy gets better sweetie." replied Mac.

Mac could see that Harm had done a lot of work getting the house ready to live in. The place looked beautiful. There were a few rooms that looked like they still needed to be furnished. Maybe they could buy some furniture to complete the look.

They went upstairs to look at the bedrooms. There was a large master bedroom. There was one guest room fully furnished with a second in the process of being completed. She found the room meant for Tory. It looked very nice. Harm had set it up perfectly for a little girl.

"What do you think Sweet pea?" asked Mac.

"This is my bedroom? It's so beautiful!" exclaimed Veronica as she jumped up onto the bed.

"Yes baby, this is your room. Jen, you can take one of the guest bedrooms while you're helping me. It doesn't make sense for you to go back to Georgetown to your apartment every night." offered Mac.

"Thank you Ma'am. What about the Commander's parents? There seems to be more than enough room for them here. I would think that they would like to spend more time with you and Tory." suggested Jen.

"Yes, I'm sure they would. I'll talk to them tomorrow when I see them. Than you Petty officer." smirked Mac. She could see that Jen was very insightful.

It was going to be a tough adjustment. Her inner clock was set six hours ahead. It would take time to readjust. It was 1800 hours here in Washington, but for her it was midnight. She had been up since 0600 hours.

Jen volunteered to watch Tory if Mac wanted to go to bed early. She put away Tory's stuff while Mac stowed hers away. Mac managed to make it to 2000 hours before going to bed. She felt it would help her adjustment in the long run. Tory managed to stay up another hour as Jen read to her from one of her many books.


	8. Chapter 8

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part eight

Bethesda

Mary Jo rushed to Bethesda when she heard the news of Harm's crash. She always worried whenever he went away for a few days to fly tomcats even though she liked the bravado that he exuded whenever he was in fighter jock mode.

He was a lawyer now, a very good one so she had been told. She had met him one Friday night at McMurphy's. They had spent the night dancing and she had fallen in love. They spent many Friday night thereafter dancing.

She wondered why no one would tell her anything. She had asked a few of his military friends what was wrong, what was the extent of his injuries? But if they knew anything they weren't saying. They told her that they didn't know.

They appeared to be as concerned about Harm as she was. The doctor would only talk to someone name Colonel MacKenzie. The Colonel was the only one authorized to make medical decisions for him. She wondered who this Colonel was and when was the Colonel going to get here?

When she asked about where the Colonel was, they told her that the Colonel was in Europe and would be arriving early this afternoon. What did that mean? Did that mean Harm's injuries weren't that serious if they could wait a day to operate on him?

But if that was true, why then wasn't he awake? Why would he need the Colonel to come from Europe to sign off on an operation for Harm? Was it possible that Harm could die if the Colonel didn't arrive soon? She loved him so very much.

She was still waiting there in the waiting room last night at eight pm when a Harriet Roberts came over to her and told her that she should go home. They wouldn't know anything until tomorrow when a Colonel MacKenzie arrived from Europe.

She had reluctantly agreed to go home, but she had come back today at noon. She didn't want to miss anything. Her friend Cassie agreed to come to the hospital with her to keep her company. She was concerned about Harm too. She had known him for a long time.

"When will we know something Mary Jo?" asked Cassie.

"The doctors are waiting for a Colonel MacKenzie. He has the power to make medical decisions for Harm." replied Mary Jo.

"Him? I knew a Major MacKenzie a few years back who used to come into McMurphy's with Harm. She was a very beautiful looking woman. It's beginning to make sense now." said Cassie correcting a misconception on Mary Jo's part.

"The Colonel is a woman?" wailed Mary Jo. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes, she's a very beautiful marine. They always came to the bar together. It was rumored that they were deeply in love with each other, but they never acted on their love." explained Cassie.

"What happened?" asked a sullen Mary Jo. A future with Harm seemed quite dim right now, it seemed to be fading away.

"Harm left Jag to return to the fleet to fly. It was rumored that she was heart broken and left Jag and went to Europe. She supposedly speaks many European languages. That must have been five or six years ago." explained Cassie.

"So they haven't seen each other since then? Why is she still his medical contact?" asked Mary Jo.

"I don't know why. Maybe it didn't matter since he was with the fleet. Maybe it was a way for them to stay connected. I don't know. I'm sure if you ask them they wouldn't be able to tell you why either." replied Cassie.

It wasn't long before a very beautiful looking woman walked over to them. Cassie immediately recognized her. She hadn't changed in six years. She was still very beautiful. It was nice to see her again.

"I'm Colonel MacKenzie. I understand you have been waiting to hear something about Harm. He's going to be alright. He suffered a few broken bones, nothing too serious. He'll be bedridden for a few weeks.

They're going to operate on him shortly. The surgery is going to take eight hours. He's not going to wake up until sometime tomorrow afternoon. He won't be having visitors for a few days. If you give me your name and number I will let you know when you can visit." greet Mac.

"It's so nice to see you again Sarah. It's been much too long." greeted Cassie.

"Yes it has been Cassie. After Harm left I didn't have any reason to stay here so I went to Europe. It's so beautiful there." replied Mac.

"This is Mary Jo Carpenter. She's a friend of Harm from the bar. They like to dance together on Friday nights." smiled Cassie.

"Is that so? You better not let his wife know about it. I've heard that she's been know to put a few women in their place." smiled Mac.

Mac woke up early the next morning at 0600 hours. She wasn't surprised to see that Tory was still sleeping. It had been a very long day yesterday for her even though she had slept a lot. Jen was already up and had coffee waiting for her.

"That coffee smells good." smiled Mac as she greeted Jen. There was nothing better than waking up to a cup of good coffee in the morning.

"It's not quite marine grade Ma'am. Jason told me how much you like your coffee strong." replied Jen.

Jen and Mac had checked out the kitchen the day before and saw that it didn't contain food fit for a marine or a little girl. Jen had gone grocery shopping yesterday afternoon and picked up some of Mac and Tory's favorite food.

"It doesn't have to be too strong Jen as long as it's good." countered Mac. It surprised her what Jason seemed to remember. He never did manage to make a decent pot of coffee no matter how hard he tried.

"The hospital called last night around 2300 hours Ma'am. It seems that the Commander's surgery went well. What time are you planning on going to the hospital today?" asked Jen.

"You can drop me and Tory off at the hospital at 1000 hours. I need you and Jason to go to Norfolk and retrieve Harm's personal vehicle. That way I can come to the hospital early and you can drop Tory off later. Also I would like you to arrange for a car for Frank and Trish. They only drive a Cadillac." requested Mac.

"No problem Ma'am." replied Jen.

Mac packed up a couple of books, a game, coloring books, and some snacks. Jen dropped Mac and Tory off at the hospital before going into headquarters to see Jason and the general about picking up Harm's car.

Mac wanted to get to the hospital early. She wanted to be there when Harm woke up. The doctor had told her that he wouldn't wake up until after 1200 hours, but she knew better than anyone that Harm never kept to someone else's timetable.

He always did things on his own timetable even though it might cause aggravation to others. She also wanted to discourage others from hanging around in the waiting room hoping to see Harm. That wasn't going to happen today.

She stopped at the nurses station when she arrived. She left strict instructions that they were to only allow Trish and Frank in to visit with Harm.

Maybe later that evening she would consider allowing AJ and Tom the opportunity to visit with him if Harm managed to get through the day fine. She knew that they both cared for him like a son.

Mac didn't have to wait too long before Harm woke up. She took his large hand in her two smaller ones. She always marveled at how large and strong his hands were. It was no wonder why people were intimidated by him.

"Good morning Flyboy. If you really wanted me to come for a visit, all you had to do was pick up a phone and call. I have more than fifty days of leave accrued." teased Mac.

"Good morning Mac. I couldn't have woken up to a more beautiful and pleasant sight." whispered Harm before coughing.

"Thank you Harm." blushed Mac. He always knew what to say. She handed him a glass of water.

"How bad is it?" asked Harm. He was in a lot of pain. Every part of his body hurt especially his back. It didn't feel like he could move an inch even if he wanted to.

"You are probably going to have to stay in bed for two weeks, maybe more. You did quite a number on yourself this time Harm. You cracked a few vertebrate. You also broke your hip and left leg." replied Mac.

"I don't want to stay here that long Mac." whined Harm.

"I'm sure you won't have to Harm. I'm going to be here for you as long as you need me." replied Mac trying to allay his fears.

"Then you're never going to leave Mac." observed Harm.

"We'll see. I asked Jason to take us to your place Harm. It was a pleasant surprise. The house is beautiful. Tory loves her room." replied Mac. She couldn't make any promises. The military didn't always do what was right for married couples.

"US? Is she here?" asked Harm.

"I never go anywhere without her. She's over by the window coloring. Trish and Frank are here too. They arrived early yesterday afternoon. They will be here after lunch. Tory! There's someone here who wants to see you." called Mac.

Tory got down from the window sill and walked over to her mother. She saw her daddy was awake. She got so excited.

"Daddy!" yelled Victoria as she reached out to hug Harm.

"Be careful Tory. Remember what I told you. Daddy hurt himself all over." Mac reminded her daughter.

"How's my special little girl doing? Do you like your new room?" asked Harm.

"It's beautiful daddy. I've missed you so much. Can you read to me?" replied Victoria.

"Can I have something to eat first? Maybe some coffee?" pleaded Harm.

"All I have is coffee and bagels." replied Mac.

"That will be fine." smiled Harm. After all these years some things never change. One of those was Mac dinking coffee and eating a bagel in the morning.

"Tuna and Skates were here yesterday. They were very worried about you. Even the Admiral and Tom Boone showed up." informed Mac.

"What about the mighty midget?" asked Harm.

He really didn't care too much for the little man. He seemed too full of himself for someone who had very little real experience in a courtroom and had never conducted any investigations. The man needed to stop trying to tell people how to do their jobs.

"No, He stayed away while I was here. But then again I left pretty early. I had to get Tory and myself settled in. It was a pleasant surprise Harm. It's a beautiful house and Tory loves her room." smiled Mac as she leaned over to give him a kiss.

"It's time for us to be together Mac. We've been apart much too long." replied Harm.

"I would have to agree with that assessment sailor. I suspect the general might show up today although I have left word with the nurses that you're not up for visitors, maybe in a few days. You need to get your rest. We don't want to do anything to retard your recovery." smiled Mac.


	9. Chapter 9

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part nine

Trish and Frank arrived shortly after 1200 hours. Mac took this time to see who was out in the waiting room. She would update them and tell them to come back tomorrow when Harm would be feeling better and might be ready for visitors.

She also wanted to give Trish some time alone with her son. She had been very worried about Harm, something Mac understood very well now since she had Tory in her life. The first person Mac saw was the doctor.

"The nurses told me that you were here early Colonel." observed the doctor. He wasn't totally surprised. Wives tended to want to be near by for their husbands when they were in the hospital. The Colonel was no exception. She seemed to be a take charge kind of person to him.

"My inner clock is six hours ahead Sir. It's almost dinner time for me right now. I wanted to be here when he woke up." replied Mac.

"We don't expect him to wake up until later this afternoon. He was heavily sedated." informed the doctor.

"Harm has never been known to do anything on time. He does things on his own time table. He woke up nearly two hours ago. He's spent the last hour reading to our daughter." smiled Mac.

"That's highly unusual Colonel. Most patients take up to a day before they are able to function normally after such an extensive surgery." countered doctor.

"Harm is not like other people Sir. He is very special. Besides he's not going to let his little girl down." replied Mac.

"Is there anyone else in the room with him?" asked the doctor. He was concerned that Harm might over do it and suffer a setback.

"His mother and Frank are in there with him right now. I'm looking for a volunteer to get lunch for us. Harm is pretty hungry." answered Mac.

"He really shouldn't be eating anything until he's been checked out." countered the doctor.

"Then you better get to it Sir. He has already had coffee and a bagel." smiled Mac as the doctor gave her a funny look. He was dealing with an unique pair.

"Very well then, I better get to it. The examination should take about an hour Colonel." replied the doctor.

"Thank you Sir." said Mac.

After she left the doctor Mac went over to see Tom, AJ, Tuna, and Skates. They were discussing the merits of being an Airedale versus being a Seal. AJ was losing the argument and appeared to be getting frustrated.

"So how is he Mac?" asked Tom when he saw her walk over.

"Is he awake?" asked Skates a concerned friend.

"He's been awake for about two hours now. Victoria has been entertaining him. Frank and Trish are in there with him too." answered Mac.

"Who's Victoria?" asked a curious Skates.

"She's my daughter." replied Mac.

"Not Harm's?" queried Tuna.

"Technically she is, but as you all are well aware, being an aviator, you aren't home long enough to spend sufficient time with your family." replied Mac wistfully.

"No AJ, you still lose. Your wife still left you before your daughter was three. Most aviators don't lose their wives even though they aren't home as much as they might like to be." countered Tom before AJ had a chance to say anything more.

It caused AJ to sulk. He had missed his little girl growing up even though he hadn't been with the fleet since she was ten. His wife had left him and he hadn't gone after her. It was something he had regretted a lot over the years.

"Can we go in and see him Mac?" asked AJ.

"Not this afternoon Sir, maybe tonight if things go well. The doctor said Harm will need his rest and will probably sleep most of the day as his body flushes the drugs and sedatives out of his system. His body needs time to rest after the trauma it has suffered.

However if one of you could make a food run for lunch, I might be convinced to allow you a fifteen minute visit, Skates." smiled Mac as she volunteered Skates. A colonel never asks two admirals to do a menial task such as getting lunch for their subordinates.

"That's okay Mac as long as Harm is alright." replied Tom.

"He's not going anywhere Sir. He'll be here until he can demonstrate he can get out of bed on his own and use the facilities." laughed Mac.

"He's not going to like that." smiled Tom.

"Is Cresswell coming here?" asked AJ.

"According to Coates he's supposed to be popping in sometime this afternoon. He wants to talk to me about something." replied Mac,

"I suppose with Harm going to be out for awhile he probably wants you to fill in for him. I talked to him about you yesterday. I told him you were the best and that you were my Chief of Staff before you went to Europe." answered AJ.

"Thank you Sir, but Harm is going to need my full attention for awhile." replied Mac.

"Don't be too hasty Mac. It might be a way for you to return to Headquarters and work together with Harm again. I'm sure it will probably be only administrative work which I'm sure you can do at home." countered AJ.

"As long as he doesn't expect me to go out on investigations or be in the courtroom. I'm on emergency leave at the present time and my CO told me to take as much time as I need." replied Mac.

Mac looked around and saw Bud and Harriet in the waiting room with a few other people from Jag. She wondered what they were doing here. Didn't any of them believe in doing their job anymore? Didn't they have their own life to live?

She would tell them that Harm was okay, but wouldn't be up to having visitors for a few days. They should go home or back to work.

Skates returned an hour later with lunch. She had gone to a local Italian place that AJ had recommended. She had gotten veal parmesan and pasta for ten people. Everyone enjoyed lunch. It wasn't long before Harm fell asleep and didn't wake again until after 1800 hours.

While Harm was sleeping Mac informed Trish and Frank about the house that Harm had bought. There was more than enough room for them to stay there with Victoria and her.

Jen took them back to the house in the Cadillac that she had rented for them. She left her car with Mac. Jason had taken Harm's car back to the house earlier after picking up Trish and Frank's things from Tom's house.

Victoria went with them. Mac didn't want her spending the whole day inside at the hospital. She wanted her to get some fresh air and be a kid. There were many things for her to explore in the back yard.


	10. Chapter 10

Title:

**_Surprise to See You Here_**

_Author: _

_red rooster dawn_

_Pairing: Harm/Mac_

_Disclaimer: JAG is property of Belisarius productions, no copyright infringement intended._

Summary: Harm leaves to fly. Mac leaves JAG and moves to Europe. Will tragedy bring back together again?

part ten

Later that afternoon the general arrived at the hospital to have a talk with Mac about Harm. He also wanted to see if she would be willing to handle some paperwork and administrative work for him since Harm was going to be out for three months.

Taking AJ's sound advice Mac told the general that once Harm was out of the hospital she would be willing to consider helping him out. The general was surprised to learn that she and Harm were married.

He was under the assumption that Harm was a lone wolf and had never married. He had talked to many of the people that knew Harm and no one knew of anyone special in his life.

Harm stayed in the hospital do two weeks before he was allowed to go home. His back and hip had healed sufficiently enough for the doctors to removed the body cast which allowed Harm a little more mobility.

Harm also demonstrated that he was able to move around on crutches without too much difficulty. That led the doctors to believe that he could take care of himself with Mac's help.

Victoria was happy to have Harm home full time. She had grown tired of going to the hospital every morning and spending the day in a dreary bleak room even though she was able to see her father every day.

She liked her new house she was living in, her bedroom was beautiful, and the backyard had all the amenities a little girl could want. There was so many things to play with and her grandma and granddad were there to play with her.

Trish and Frank decided to stay around until Harm had recovered from his injuries and Mac had to return to Italy with Victoria. It wasn't something they were looking forward to. They could see how happy Harm was to have his family with him.

They could also see that Mac and Victoria seemed to be happier with Harm in their life everyday. Victoria seemed to be nonstop happy. She kept them all on their toes.

As Mac promised the general, she spent a few hours everyday looking over casework and paperwork that the general would send over with Jen. She would make quick work of it. She made her corrections or suggestions and sent the files back to the general.

He was very impressed with the thoroughness and quick turn around time of the Mac's work. It was no wonder why the former JAG had made her his Chief of Staff, she was very good. He was thinking about doing the same, that is if she would stay.

She would definitely make his life a lot easier. While Turner had proven to be a good trial lawyer, he lack the intangibles of what it took to be a good administrator. He was also too anal retentive in his work.

He scrutinized every little detail causing him to take too much time to get reviews done. He over analyzed everything.

He believed Mac would consider becoming his Chief of Staff since she had a reason to stay in Washington now unlike five years ago when she left. She was married to Rabb and he was here. She would probably want to be with him since they had a daughter.

He knew his life was always better whenever his wife and daughter were with him where ever he was stationed. It was always nice to come home after work to someone who loved him unconditionally.

Six weeks later Mac needed to make a decision about whether or not she was going to return to Italy or stay in Washington. While Harm was healing quickly he still needed her help. Her emergency leave was about up. She didn't want to go back to Italy.

The time she had spent with Harm the last six weeks had been wonderful. They had never been closer. Their love for each other had grown. She didn't want to leave him, she wanted to be with him.

They had been separated much too long already. They needed to be a family. Victoria needed her father in her life everyday. It would be very hard for her to leave now. She loved her new home. Mac loved it too. She dreaded the idea of leaving him again.

It was time for her to call her CO and tell him that she wouldn't be returning to Italy. Her place was here with Harm. She was either going to transfer to Washington or resign her commission.

She, Harm, and Victoria were going to be a family. They were not going to live apart ever again. The time to be together was now. She would have a talk with the general first before calling her CO with her decision.

General's Office

She was surprised to hear from Coates that the general wanted to see her. Hopefully he was thinking about the same thing she was. Hopefully she had impressed him enough that he wanted her to stay at headquarters.

"Sir, you wanted to see me." began Mac.

"Yes Colonel, take a seat please. I heard from your CO this morning. He told me your emergency leave is about up. He wants you back. I would like to offer you an alternative. I would like you to stay here at headquarters and become my Chief of Staff.

I talked with your former CO when you were here, the Admiral, he gave me glowing praise about your work when you were his Chief of Staff. From what I've seen of your limited work while taking care of your husband, I would have to agree with his assessment. Your work has been outstanding.

I'm a family man Colonel. I know what it's like to be away from your love ones. I believe an officer performs at his or her best when they're happy. Having a happy home life is conducive to a productive work life.

Officers are usually their happiest when they have their family with them. The Admiral told me why you left headquarters in the first place. I believe that reason no longer exists. I would like you to stay here. I'm sure your husband would like that too.

If you want the position of Chief of Staff it's yours. If you need time to think about it and/or talk it over with Rabb, then take whatever time you need to, but please be quick Colonel. I will need to find a replacement to fill your current position in Naples if you accept." smiled the General.

"That won't be necessary Sir. I had already decided that I want to stay here in Washington with my husband. We've been separated for much too long. It's time for us to be together as a family. Thank you for the offer, I accept Sir." replied Mac.

"Very good Colonel. I'll let your CO know about the decision. I'll give him a list of any and all possible replacements. He can have his choice of any of them, I owe him that much." informed the General.

"Thank you Sir." said Mac in return. She would need to contact her CO to say goodbye and thank him for the opportunity he have her and for the friendship that he and his family had extended to her.

Rabb house

Mac returned home with the good news. She wanted Harm to know that she was staying in Washington and that the General had offered her the chief of staff position. It was a welcomed surprised.

She also phoned the Admiral to thank him. She had taken his advice to showcase her talents by accepting some administrative work from the General. It had freed up other Jags to do other duties more in line with their talents.

The General appreciated that Mac was a team player. She would do some courtroom work along with her administrative duties, but wouldn't be involved in conducting any investigations unless it was of major importance to the Navy.

"Sir, I want to thank you for your sound advice when I arrived her six weeks ago. The general offered me the Chief of Staff position which I have accepted. Thank you for your recommendation." reported Mac.

"You're welcome Mac. You and Rabb were the best people I ever had serving under me. You both have given so much to our country. You both deserve to be together. Maybe I'll get to see more of you now that you're staying here." replied AJ.

"Yes Sir, you're more than welcome to come over the house for a visit anytime. We have always valued your friendship Sir. Even Tory has taken a shine to you. She thinks of you as her second granddad." thanked Mac.

Mac also gave her CO a call to inform him of her decision personally. She thought she owed him that courtesy. He and his wife had become good friends of hers and had helped her with Tory over the last three years.

She was going to miss them dearly and hoped that they would stay in contact. She hoped they would see each other again whether it was in Europe or Washington. He was sorry to lose her, but he understood.

For most of his career her former CO had been very fortunate to not be separated from his wife for any length of time. He wished her well and hope to see her in the near future when he took leave next.

His wife wanted to see her family again. It had been a few years. It would give them a good reason to stop in Washington.

"I'm sorry to be losing you Mac, though I'm not completely surprise. You're the best officer I have ever had serving under my command. But I know I can't compete with the desire of being with ones family." sighed her CO.

"Thank you Sir. Despite the circumstances that has enabled Harm and I to spend time together again, it has been the most rewarding time for me and Tory. Spending time with Harm again has been incredible." replied Mac.

"I hope you stay in touch Mac. You have become a very good friend to Christine and me. We hope that you will want to stay in our lives even if it will be much smaller." moaned her CO.

"Yes Sir, I would like that. Tory considers you to be her uncle." replied Mac.

"We will be in the Washington area during the winter holidays. My wife has family in the area that she wants to see this year. We met while I was in the Academy." continued her CO. He missed the conversations they had together.

"I look forward to seeing you again Sir. You must come for a visit and stay with us." smiled Mac.

**__**

The End


End file.
